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Thursday, October 7, 2010

Interview with Tsuki Inoue - Director of Autumn Adagio

TsukiInoue is a Japanese director, originally from Kyoto. Her film, Autumn Adagio, is about a Japanese catholic nun approaching the menopause and how it affects her. It is beautifully shot and a fascinating film.

FIJ-As a Japanese film-maker, what drew you to this unusual story?

FIJ-日本人の映画製作者として、この独特な内容(物語)にあなたを引きつけたものは何ですか？

TI -：日本人である前に、ひとりの女性としてこのテーマの映画を描いて

おきたかったという想いがありました。

そして、このテーマは誰しもが通る通過点なので、日本限らず、

あらゆる国の方々にもきっと感じて頂けるテーマであると考えました。

TI - I wanted to make this film on this theme as a woman myself before as a Japanese film maker. This theme is something everyone passes at some point in their lives, and therefore I thought people in every country could understand.

FIJ-In making a film on a delicate subject, the sexuality of a catholic nun, did you feel any pressure?

FIJ-カトリックの尼さんの性（セクシュアリティ）というようなデリケートな題材で、製作するにあたってプレッシャーなど感じましたか?

TI - ：もちろん、カトリック教徒の方や修道女の方々に失礼はあっては

いけないと、プレッシャーは感じました。

ですが、観終わったお客様に最終的にひとりの女性の話であるという

着地点に導いていくのが、創る側の人間の力であり、

また、そこまで見極めるお客様の目も信じ、制作しています。

TI - Of course I felt a pressure that the film should not be disrespectful to Catholics or Catholic nuns.

However, I think that as a filmmaker I should have an ability to guide the audience to the point where they understand ultimately this is a story of one woman. I also believed in the viewers’ ability to ascertain the true intention when I made the film.

FIJ-What is the significance of the beautiful autumn setting?

FIJ-秋の美しさを際立たせた演出になっていますが、その意味するところは？なぜ秋にしたのでしょうか？

TI - 人生を四季と例えると、主人公の年齢の時に重なること。

また、落葉の赤という色が物語の重要な色であること。

TI - One reason is that if you compare a life with four seasons, the protagonist’s age period would be autumn. The other reason is that red of fallen leaves is a significant color for this story.

FIJ-The ballet scenes are enchanting. What approach did you take to capture the artistry of these moments and why did you choose ballet?

TI - First of all, classic ballet is something very familiar for me personally. I have learned ballet dancing for 15 years since I was little. As far as the film is concerned, the protagonist has been living her life in abstinence. If she is ever mesmerized by something, I thought the similarity between her life and ballet will be a springboard for her. Ballet is something also beautiful and stoic. And like the protagonist, ballet dancers are the Japanese living their lives embodying Western culture.

At the same time, I had the conviction that the picture of Catholic nun playing the piano and ballet dancers dance to her music, would make a romantic scene thought it might provoke a feeling of strangeness.

FIJ- Many of the actors in the films were musicians and dancers. Apart from the obvious benefits of musical ability, what other benefits are there to working with non-professional actors?

TI - One of the motives I made this film is that I wanted to shoot a visual image of Ms. Rei Shibakusa who played the main role.

The process of making a film differs depending on the quality of film. However, when creating a film which is a “lie” in a sense, what is important for me is the reality that every character is actually living. Musicians who live by playing music.Ballet dancers who dance to make a living. The reality of those people is the most necessary power of conviction for this film.Their every movement itself works as lines and voices. It is not the style of expression regular actors can do.

FIJ - It was interesting to see a mix of western and Japanese culture. For international viewers can you explain some of the examples of Japanese culture and tradition? For example, the sekihan?

TI - The reason why I bring in a traditional Japanese touch with the food or scenery in this film is because I was conscious to bring the film overseas.

Sekihan is a traditional dish served at auspicious occasions in Japan. In this film, sekihan was used intentionally for Japanese viewers since this kind of customs are now forgotten in modern Japanese society and in urban lifestyles.

※The young girl who had their’s firstmenstrual period is congratulated with the sekihan in Japan.

※Sekihan is made by steaming glutinous rice (an especially sticky variety) together with red beans which turn the rice red.

FIJ -Forgiveness is a central theme of the film for many of the characters. The film seems to take the catholic sentiment that even very bad things can be forgiven, do you agree with this?

TI - I am not a researcher nor can’t I give clear answer to this question. But after learning about Christianity, the large part of my understanding towards Christianity was forgiveness and acceptance.

Forgiving might not the right answer at all times. But as a human, to forgive or to accept is surely most difficult things to do, as well as the necessary things when you move ahead with your life. In this regard, I think Christianity and what I wanted to depict in this film have something consistent.

FIJ -There is a lot of symbolism in the film, the very bright light from outside, the lilies at the start of the film, and so on? Could you elaborate on these?

TI - Lilies are the flowers that symbolize the Virgin Mary. By using a plant where male and female co-exist in its petals, I expressed how she should be and how living creatures should be.

FIJ -Has the film been received differently by Japanese audiences andinternational audiences?

FIJ -日本人の観客と、外国の観客とで、その反応など違ってますか？

TI - 反応は全く一緒です。

ひとつだけ違うのは、赤飯が出てくるシーンです。

ソウルフードはその土地で馴染んだ人でないと理解しがたいものがあります。

年配の日本人女性は過去の記憶を辿り、主人公と共に涙を流している姿を

見受けられました。ですが、海外の女性達も同じように想像し

涙を流されてる方も見受けられました。

私が考えるに、そこを通った彼女達は当時封印した想いをもう一度扉を開け、

受け止め直しているのだと思います。

私もこの映画を創る上でそれが一番大事にしたい想いでした。

誰も描かない扉を開け、きちんと悲しみ、感謝し、受け止める。

私は女性としても制作者としても、

その通過点を大事に拾いあげたかったのです。

TI - I think the film was received quite the same.

The only scene differently taken was the scene with sekihan. It is difficult to understand the background and meaning of traditional food if you are not familiar with the local place.

I saw old Japanese ladies shed tears along with the protagonist recalling their own memories. At the same time, I saw some non-Japanese female audience in abroad with tears imaging the same feeling. I believe that they were re-accepting the feelings they had sealed when they had followed the same path back then. Those emotions are the most important aspect when I made this film.

I wanted to open the door that nobody opens, to feel the sadness properly, to appreciate it and to accept it. As a woman and a filmmaker, it was my wish to carefully scoop up this path women go through.

FIJ -What films and genres interest you? Do you have any ideas for your nextproject?

FIJ -どんな映画やジャンルに興味をお持ちですか？次回作について、何か構想やプロジェクトはお持ちですか?

TI - 全般です。見えるもの全てに興味はあります。

次回作は、考え中です。

できればオリジナルの脚本で、より人間を深く描きたいです。

TI - Everything.All things I see interest me. As for the next film, I am still thinking. I am hoping to make a film with original script if possible, and depict humanity more deeply.